Mutt n Jeff

If Nothing Short of Total War is one of the best compilations out there, Texas Trip is definitely one of the most out there.

Put together, recorded and produced by The Butthole Surfers in their prime, this selection showcases their own material as well as that of a few of their sonically eccentric mates.

Despite the Surfers at the controls, Daniel Johnston's 'Don't Play Cards With Satan' is one of his more accessible pieces, and he actually comes across as being one of the more saner and coherent of the artists captured here; not sure what that says about the others...

Johnston's other solo effort is a return to form: demanding, expanding and ultimately rewarding.

He also pops up on the better of the Surfers' contributions, 'All Day', his angst harmonising so sweetly with Gibby's aggressive Gibbytronix.

So, stick the cans on, and as they say over there in Texas: "Play Loud".

Various - Texas Trip (1987)

Steve Fitch - In the Neighbourhood
Daniel Johnston - Don't Play Cards With Satan
Stickmen With Rayguns - Gravecity
Butthole Surfers - All Day
Stickmen With Rayguns - Kill the Innocent
Daniel Johnston - Grievances
Butthole Surfers - Flame Grape

Decent cassette rip @320kbs
Ear here

Tinnitus

While ripping this earlier, I quickly concluded that Blast First's Nothing Short of Total War is definitely one of the best and most well put together compilation/samplers out there.

Just check out the roll call:
All caught at their finest - and what can one say about the recording of The Butthole Surfers' 'Jimi'...

But hey, nuff; let the album speak for itself:

Various - Nothing Short of Total War (1989)
Decent vinyl rip @320kbs

The spoken word samples I have mainly included as preambles: seemed appropriate.
Enjoy.

Hear here

Holy Shit!

This has existed in various forms around the web; but just in case you've missed it, never bothered or knew not of it, here it is in all its full definitive glory, ripped from cassette @320kbs, digitally enhancing the original DAT recording, allowing you to flatten off the hiss and play it very, very loud indeed.
The only way to listen.
Not much to say about this really.
Except it is one of the best live collections of avant-noise-punk songs from one of the best bands of their genre(s).
And as far as the Surfers' oeuvre goes, this captures them at their absolute peak; their very best; their most surreal and their most creative.

Gibby's mastered his Gibbytronix; Leary's axing iconoclastic; the monster rhythm section's bombastic.

Lewd, crude, extreme, offensive, but often sublime.
Live music didn't get any better than this.

Butthole Surfers - Double Live (1989)

Part 1

To Parter
Psychedelic Jam
Ricky
Rocky
Gary Floyd
Florida
John E Smoke
Tornadoes
Pittsburg to Lebanon
The One I Love
Hey
Dum Dum
No Rule
U.S.S.A.
Comb

Part 2

Graveyard
Sweatloaf
Fast
I Saw an X-Ray of a Girl Passing Gas
Strawberry
Creep in the Cellar
Suicide
Jimi
Lou Reed
Kuntz
22 Going On 23
Something

Excellent cassette rip @320kbs
To parter one here
To parter two here

Good Grief!

Originally released on 10" vinyl in 1989, Widowermaker was the third e.p. from the Texan masters of hardcore and avant-punk.

Opening spectacularly with the incredibly arranged 'Bon Song', featuring a 'Sweet Leaf' inspired repeated hacking cough and some super bong-tastic sound effects.

'1401' appears to be a song about Gibby's eyes rolling back into his head as the consequence of some kind of glass inflicted injury; resulting in a lyrical synaesthetic response... well, you've got to sing about something...

Leary is on top form on this recording, and he plays a stormer during the distinctly anthemic 'Booze Tobacco'.
A kind of Oi!, psychobilly number, with a dash of Jungle chucked in for good measure.

'Helicopter' is in a far more traditional vein as far as the Surfers' sound goes. Reminiscent of tracks from such classic albums as Psychic... Powerless... Another Man's Sac and Locust Abortion Technician; but less chaotic, less no-wave and therefore a little easier on the ears.

Butthole Surfers - Widowermaker (1989)

Bon Song
1401
Booze Tobacco
Helicopter

Excellent vinyl rip @320kbs
Take a hit here

ur-ur-ur-ur-ur-ur-ur-ur, ur-ur-ur-ur-ur-ur-ur-ur, ur-ur-ur-ur-ur-ur-ur-ur-ur-huh-huh

A request posting for Mr. Hackenbacker.

Four mixes here of the Butthole Surfers' version of Donovan's 'The Hurdy Gurdy Man'.
I'm not sure which versions they are, as my 12" is a white label; so I'm not sure if it's the U.S. release or the European release.
But does it really matter?
The fact is they're all different.

I've included the version from Piouhgd as well, it has a much fuller sound than the single release, and a great deal more production value.

The best version is the 12" A side. Haynes is far more laid back and surreal with his vocal, and the stretching out of the track allows for different textures to be heard; pared down in places so only the rhythm section is playing; but I guess that was (and still is) typical of album track mixes, especially those of a 12" vinyl variety.

The single was released by Rough Trade records while sitting on the Piouhgd album; it did creep into the British single charts, but only at No.98, and not for very long.

But it did mark a big change in the Surfers' sound.
And the end of some very far out music.

Butthole Surfers - The Hurdy Gurdy Man Remixes (1991)

Track 1 - Piouhgd version
Track 2 - 12" A Side
Track 3 - Instrumental mix 1
Track 4 - Instrumental mix 2

Vinyl rip @256kbs
Get them here

Cream Corn Surfing

I know, I know.
Butt hey, it is the best of the bunch. And I'm really posting this for its wonderful cover art.
And together with this U.K. cover; this is the perfect package.

I'm not sure how available this was elsewhere, butt in Britain it is one of the more sought after pieces of Surfers' vinyl.

And what a cover!
Who she is; I have no idea. Butt who cares!
She is wonderful; and I'm glad to own a little piece of her.

So much better than the U.S. package:

Leary chose this image while looking through some photos at his dealer's house. Apparently.

As for the story behind the alternative U.K. cover; well I don't know it, but if anyone does know anything...

I mean, if it is your Nan or something...
Recorded after the band had put Rembrandt Pussyhorse together in 1985, Cream Corn from the Socket of Davis was quickly assembled and released due to their album being held up by legal problems; something that dogged the band throughout their career.

Well, we can't all be Sting, right.

'To Parter' is one of the greatest Surfers' songs ever recorded. Leary's picking is superb and tight, butt still managing to retain the Surfers' spontaneous spirit.

The title really comes from the fact that it is two tracks, the first an instrumental, somewhat reminiscent of the Magic Band on a good day; and the second a warped kind of sea shanty with Haynes performing some of his greatest lyrics:

'And all the sailors who were junkies
All went sailing out to sea,
And the white man sold quaaludes to the monkeys,
And they all died high up in the trees

And all the teachers who were flunkies
They all taught you and me,
And the white men, I'll be goddamned if they're
still selling quaaludes to the monkeys,
And they're all you and me dying high up in the trees'

I once heard 'Moving to Florida' described as the most annoying piece of music ever recorded.
It is obviously intentionally humorous. Butt the speaker did have a point.
Haynes does start to become infuriating, so much so its as if the rest of the band lose patience with him, and just decide to play over the top of his insistent 'Seasick Steve' kind of ramblings (see I can be topical!).

'Comb' begins with animal sounds created by a feed-backing guitar, juxtaposed with Haynes retching (he liked to include a barf, 'Lady Sniff' from Psychic... Powerless... Another Man's Sac features the sound of a right good chuck hitting the toilet pan); he then seems to go on and rant about Lou Reed, through the medium of Gibbytronix, of course.

'Tornadoes' is aptly titled as it delineates in sound just that: a tornado.
Butt it's a kind of psychobilly tornado... predicting a sound they would go on to explore on in their 88 release Hairway to Steven.

I think this is one of their best packages; not as bombastic or as shambolic as their first e.p. butt actually proving that as a band they were a pretty hot outfit, and a world away from any of the material they would go on to release post-88.

This e.p. was really the beginning of the end.

Butthole Surfers - Cream Corn from the Socket of Davis (1985)

Moving to Florida
Comb
To Parter
Tornadoes

Ripped from vinyl @ 256kbs

Get it here